Page 91 - All About History 48 - 2017 UK

Reviews

DENIAL

History is on trial in this riveting courtroom drama

Certificate 12A Director Mick Jackson Cast Rachel Weisz, Timothy
Spall, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Gatiss Released Out now

ot all opinions are equal,” declares Denial (2016) is brilliantly acted by Rachel
American academic and historian Weisz, Tom Wilkinson and Timothy
Deborah Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz), Spall. The latter’s portrayal of Irving
talking to the gathered British opts not for a pantomime-style, reptilian,
Npress after her victorious day in fascist apologist, but for a more nuanced
court. It’s a line that warrants repeating character study. Irving is insecure about
and clinging to in today’s ‘post-truth’ his lack of academic credentials yet is a
world, where poorly argued internet supremely smug man, painting himself
memes appear to carry as much veracity as a maverick spirit in a den of crushing
as expertise and genuine facts. It’s also bores. But his intentions and egomaniacal
meant as a stinging rebuke to the likes of desire to revise history were really
David Irving, a historical writer who spent spurred by his own racist beliefs and far-
much of the 1980s and 1990s criticising right identity.
reports of the Holocaust and denying Much of the film takes place in the
that Adolf Hitler had any knowledge of confines of the courtroom (where Irving
it. In Irving’s view, based on falsified pompously represents himself as he
information, poor studies and deliberate sues Lipstadt for libel). This is where
misinterpretation of documents, it was Hare’s screenplay really comes in to its
Heydrich and Himmler’s doing, not his own, getting across arguments, counter-
beloved Adolf’s. arguments and vital points, breaking
Benefiting from an excellent script by them down for the lay audience with skill
playwright and screenwriter David Hare, and emotional resonance.

HACKSAW RIDGE

Aremarkablestoryaboutaremarkablehero
Certificate 15 Director Mel Gibson Cast Andrew Garfield, Vince
Vaughn, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving Released Out now

eaturing the most intense and moral code acting like a halo of grace
violent battle scenes since Steven amid the hellish conditions of Hacksaw
Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan Ridge on Okinawa, an escarpment
(1998), Mel Gibson’s extraordinary that must be taken from the Japanese.
FWorld War II saga is focused Doss’s pre-war days and selfless acts as
on a real-life figure: a conscientious a medic are condensed for the sake of
objector who earned the prestigious the movie’s own narrative fluidity (he
Medal of Honor without once firing a saved the lives of 75 men at different
gun. Private Desmond Doss (Andrew locations), but the gist of the man’s
Garfield) didn’t even touch the carbine endeavours remain true to life.
rifle issued to him, nor throw a single Thematically, Gibson gets plenty of
grenade or so much as give the enemy mileage from the contrast between his
a dirty look. A devout Seventh-day saintly man and the vivid horrors on
Adventist, his strict adherence to the show. Mangled corpses blown to pieces,
sixth commandment (“Thou shalt bodies burnt to a cinder – all riddled
not kill”) clashed not only with the with maggots – rats feast on the dead at
actualities of fighting, but was looked night, the earth literally saturated with
upon as suspicious by fellow grunts and blood and guts. How could anybody
incredulous officers in charge of the remain so cool and calm under heavy
yokel from Virginia. fire, amid such insanity? Hacksaw Ridge
Garfield is superb as Doss. His sweet is a riveting depiction of thunderous
disposition, sunny smile and resolute combat and spiritual verve.
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